kira0804

I have to take the TEAS V soon and I scored an overall of 76% on the ATI online practice test I purchased. My school just requires that you score Proficient. Does anyone know what the percentage score cutoff for Proficient is? Is it based on each individual section (i.e. math, science, reading, language) or is it your combined overall score? I am worried because I struggled with the science portion...

Seaons's Greetings everyone! I was hoping to gain some insight on whether or not nursing is truly the right profession for me... To sum it up, I have started and stopped nursing school three times (twice with a BSN program and once with an ADN program). I truly recognize how fortunate I have been to have had the opportunity to start these programs given how difficult it can be to even get admitted into a program so please don't think I have taken that lightly. The furthest I have gotten was through a semester and a half of the BSN program and my grades were A's and B's. I love the idea of nursing and could see myself working with an under served population, perhaps the Indian Health Service, but I seem to lose all steam once I actually start school. All my classmates just seem so excited and interested in everything we do and are so eager to learn, but with a few exceptions I have found a lot of the material to be boring. I just can't seem to get that enthusiasm everyone else seems to have and I feel even more isolated until I eventually drop out because I feel so lost and like I don't belong. My clinical instructors have told me I work well with patients and my class instructors have told me I would be a great nurse, but I almost feel like a fraud because of how I feel on the inside. (I also think it didn't help that I have a history of depression and mood swings that can make it hard for me to know if what I am feeling is real or just a chemical imbalance...) So is it possible to actually end up enjoying nursing if you feel this way in nursing school? I have a lot on here about how much of a struggle nursing school can be, but everyone talks about how they just knew it was for them so they were able to pull through. I am having a hard time putting this dream to rest; I feel regret every time I talk to a nurse or go to a hospital or think about the patients I could be helping. But my family and friends tell me I am crazy to even consider going back and finishing because I have already tried it three times and if the "calling" was there I would have stuck it out then. I apologize for the long post, but I was hoping to get some input from actual nurses and not just the schools or family and friends. Thanks so much!

Hi, Just wanted to give you my experience. I attended JHU for a semester and a half in 2008 in their Accelerated BSN program. I got good grades (A's and B's), but had to take a medical leave of absence. I plain just couldn't afford to go back after I left, I had student loans from my first degree from another "Ivy League" institution. I now owe nearly $40k for just that semester and a half at JHU, and I don't even have the degree to show for it. Thankfully I am starting next semester at AACC so I can finally get that RN license, but it will take me longer to get the BSN I would have gotten at JHU. Overall, if I could do it over again I would have tried to go to UMD. I know Hopkins students who got into JHU but could not get into UMD. The program itself at Hopkins was good, although I would not recommend an accelerated route simply because I feel like I only learned the material long enough to be tested on it and it didn't really stick. That is my personal experience though, some people like the faster route. Like any other college there were great professors and there were not so great ones. I really feel the biggest benefit of choosing JHU over another school is that you can say you went to Hopkins. I am not going to lie, around hear that can really impress people. However, once you get out there as a nurse where you went to school will be less important than your work experience. I did even notice that many of my Hopkins professors went to UMD and other schools. Ultimately, I would say if you can afford it or don't mind going into a lot of debt, than JHU looks great on your resume. But unless you are a scholarship student the financial aid is not that great, you will be expected to borrow substantial private loans and all that is going to add up very quickly if you are going for your MSN or doctorate. You might be paying over half your salary a month just in student loan payments (I know I will be when I graduate). If you have any questions, feel free to post and I will answer. I hope I don't sound jaded about Hopkins, they were great in dealing with my illness and trying to help me, but I wish I had taken the time to explore other cheaper but equally great programs.

I am hoping someone might be able to answer these questions for me (hopefully you, Sienna!) I went to the Skyscape website and it listed the Nursing Constellation software at $89.95, but our pre-orientation packet said it costs about $290. Is this just a great sale or am I supposed to buy all the other recommended software too? Also, it did not state it was on a memory card, is that just implied? Oh, and uniforms. Can we buy those closer to clinical? Anyone know if we can wear long sleeved scrub tops or plain long sleeved tops underneath? I have a visible arm tattoo and that seems the best way to cover it. Finally, does anyone know if it is possible to work even part-time during this program? Nothing crazy, just one or maybe two shifts a week. I don't have a lot of financial support so it might be a requirement for me and I was wondering if it could be done successfully... Thanks!!

Sienna, Thanks for the info, I will take a look at the Skyscape website. If you don't mind, I have another question for you that I can't seem to find an answer for. Are nursing students required to have health insurance or purchase a certain plan? I know I should have it, but my current plan will lapse during the program and I might not be able to afford the COBRA payments. I am too old to be on my parents plan so that isn't an option. I know that when I got my first degree we had to have a certain level of coverage to be students at the school, but we were able to pay the fees with student loans since it was required. Thanks again!

Hi Sienna, Do you know if you can use an ipod touch or do you need an actual Palm for the software? I have Verizon and am eligible for a upgraded phone, but I was told you can't use a phone on patient floors so I am not sure if I should upgrade to a Palm-like phone or an iphone if I can't use it. Thanks!

Yay! I just got my acceptance packet. Now the mad scramble to get it all done. Congrats to everyone else who will be starting this spring!

I know I haven't heard anything yet either, I think the "Got AACC acceptance today!" was from earlier posts. My mailman probably thinks I am stalking him...

Congratulations on almost being done with your first year! I have heard it is a tough school, but I am okay with that if it prepares me (as much as you can before you actually start working). The GPA cutoff seems like a good idea, but like most people I am sitting around wondering what the magical GPA cutoff number will be for this class and trying not to stress over what I can't control right now. I have read everything from 2.7 to nearly a 4.0 so it seems like anyone's guess...

SiennaGreen Thanks for that update, I certainly hope they are feeling generous. Are you already a student at AACC? This is my first time applying here so I have no idea what to expect.

Hi all Thought I would let you know that I called the nursing department at AACC today and was told that they would "most likely" be mailing out the decision letters for spring 2010 this Wednesday afternoon. So with that being the day before Thanksgiving they probably won't get to us before this weekend or early next week. I am hoping they decide to just send them out sooner, but if not I guess we just get to pray and wait and pray some more. Good luck!